Sufism in Bengal is very different from Sufism in India especially from Sufism in North India in few aspects.

They are i) In social aspect ii) In their inner doctrinal aspect iii) In the aspect of acculturation. Though it will be needless to say that the first aspect is directly related with the second and the third. Moreover the second aspect is again related to the third. So here we will see the fundamental difference between (I am posing the binary doctrinal difference though this binarism is not so strict) these two varieties of thoughts is on the nature of their respective acculturation. In general this is true indeed that the Sufism when they first visited in this soil in 10-11th century already it assimilated the germs of Vedantic metaphysical thoughts in its body of doctrine due to Buddhist philosophy and thoughts once which was well known throughout the silk route. After coming to this land they assimilated the thoughts of Bhakti which was dominat religious thoughts and practices at that time without changing their fundamental Shariati/Quranic belief. But when Sufi masters came to the Bengal the nature of syncretism was different. The three main tenants of thoughts were present that time in Bengal. They were Hindu Tantra, tantric Buddhism and later Buddhist Sahajias or Vaisnava Sahajias. It was the time of Sen dynasty in Bengal who were the worshiper of Shakti. Already Buddhism was popular all over the Bengal in large extent due to the previous Pala Kings who were Buddhist. But under this new ruler they felt insecured and in many cases oppressed. They were searching a kind of religious musk to survive. The new belief and religion Islam attracted them mostly because of the feeling of brotherhood and sameness they found in Islam. That time a huge number of conversions took place among which most of them were lower caste people. They took with them their age old religious thoughts and practices. The Sufism in Bengal also assimilates these heterodox thoughts in due course of time. Later in post Chaitanya Era influences Vaishnava Sahajias took place which contributed some important most development in terms of the use of languages and figure of speech. Apart from these three among the minor influence Nath doctrine was important most. In this way slowly the Sufism in Bengal took its own shape and made its own body of doctrine and of course the language which was quiet independent in nature. This kind of acculturation was unique in one important aspect that it gave a modest socio-political shelter to the lower caste people of Bengal.

Now what was the aftermath of this acculturation? What was the important addition of thoughts, practices and beliefs Sufism in Bengal accepted from these minor and so called esoteric religious cult? This is clear at this point that this amalgamation of various thoughts casted a huge impact on the main body of Sufi doctrine. If we study the history of Bengal closely we will understand that from the time immemorial, this was quite an inaccessible place in comparison to the so called Aryabarta, which is mainly the Northern part of India. The inhabitants of this place were called Asura, dassu (pagans) in Atharba Veda, Satpath and Aitereya Brahmana. The Bengalese of Caryapada were actually the so called lower caste people, Doma, Candala, Pulinda, Sabara etc. The oldest branch of Bengalese was the branch of Austric people. In later days they came in contact with Dravidian people. By this way, the cultural base of Bengalese developed by the amalgamation of less Aryan and much non Aryan culture. These factors of this soil easily opened the scope of adaptation of various thoughts and practices. Agama Shashtra is the root of both Hindu and Buddhist Tantra. During the 10th century Abhinabha Gupta wrote his Tantraloka based on numerous Agama shastra. Buddhism got divided into two main sects namely Hinayana or the Lower Vehicle and Mahayana or the Higher Vehicle few days after the death of Buddha. In Mahayana doctrine Buddha is omnipresent, Adibhuta and is like Absolute tatva. They imagined three Kayas or embodiments of this absolute being; namely Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya. The last one is the embodiment of historical Buddhadeva. As days passed by, Mahayana sect had again divided in two sub-sects, namely Paramitanaya and Mantranaya. It can be assumed that this Mantranaya or Mantrayana and Tantric/Esoteric Buddhism or Bajrayana, which is the proto form of Kalacakrayana or Sahajayana, are the same. It is being said that Asanga, the founder of Yogacara doctrine was responsible for influencing Mahayana doctrine with Tantric thought. In Mahayana doctrine the Mudras are frequently used along with the Mantras or Hymes. In Tantric Yoga Sadhana there exist occult power within these Mudras or posture and inner power of sound in the Mantras or Hymes. Among the three sub sects of Mahayana doctrine, in Kalacakrayana we find many hidden traces of minor religious sects of later days Bengal. Among them the important Islamic religious thoughts were Marfati, Fakiri, Darbeshi etc. According to the Kalacakrayana, our own body represents the whole

Universe with its absolute capacity to incorporate all the omnipresence and the entire organism present in our own body. The infinite small segments of time with its normal cycle of days and nights, the solar cycle, are present in our body as our life breath. One will be able to control the Kala only if she/he can master the flow of this life breath through the vein. The inclusion of body oriented doctrine of the Sahajyana thoughts by the minor religions of Bengal is one of the important socio-religious facts. The Sun, Moon, Lunar months and all other celestial bodies, along with the mountains and rivers situated in our earthly body only. Our body contains all the major rivers; namely Ganga, Jamuna, Saraswati. A pious/holy person has to locate the truth within her/his own body. It is an interesting point to research that how the pure Sufi mysticism had mingled with this kind of body oriented doctrine. It is really fascinating subject of study that how Bengali lokayata culture and religion has got a new kind of nomenclature, for example terms like Ida, Pingala has become Ganga, Jamuna etc due to the acculturation and gave birth to a new encyclopedia of Metaphors altogether. This Sahajyanis in later days came into contact with Vaisnava Sahajias due to the socio-political situation of Bengal. As time passed by higher philosophical form of Vaisnavism transformed into a common religious practice. This trend we will find in the various Islamic religious practices like Marfati, Darbeshi, Fakiri etc. If we study minutely, we will realize that may be by this way Sufis redefined their pure form of transcendentalism in a new language, with the help of new vocabulary and metaphors. The very notion of An-al-hak can be found in a new connotation of Maner Manush, the soul/being of ones own heart. The idea of Kalacakra placed a new philosophical germ in the Mokama Tatva/doctrine of sufis/Marfatis.Hindu Yoga practice like Recaka, Kumbha, Puraka became the Sufi austerity of breathing. A close proximity can be seen among Hindu austerity of Satachakra, Buddhist esoteric practice and Sufi Mokama Tatva.

Tantrik thoughts of Body/Mind and its shadow Position of Hindu SatachakraPosition in the body Name of the Chakra Name of Lotus in a Chakra Number of petals Concerning Female deity of the Chakra In the reproductive Dakini Organ Susumna Raakini In umbilical cavity Laakini Chest/Heart Kaakini Throat Shakini Muladhara Chakra Four Petals Lotus Brambha

Svadhisthana Chakra Manipura Chakra Anahata Chakra Bisuddha Chakra

Six Petals Lotus Ten Petals Lotus Twelve Petals Lotus Sixteen Petals Lotus Two Petals Lotus

Middle of two eyebrow Aajna Chakra Haakini

Buddhist Model of Caturkaya Position Name of the Kaya Concerning Female Deity situated in the kaya Name of the Lotus

Naval Cavity Locana Heart Mamaki Throat Pandara Head/Brain Aryatara

Nirmanakaya Dharmakaya Sambhogakaya Sahajakaya

Sixty Four Petals Lotus Thirty Two petals Lotus Sixteen Petals Lotus Four Petals Lotus

In Sahajia Doctrine Position situated in the Name of Sarovaar or Cakra Name of the Lotus Sarovaar Head/Brain Petals Lotus Throat Petals Lotus Heart Petals Lotus Belly Petals Lotus Naval Cavity Prithu naval Lotus Akshaya Sarovaar Kanthya Sarovaar Kheer Sarovaar Maana Sarovaar Naavi Sarovaar Prithu Sarovaar Thousand Four Eight Hundred Jada Lotus Six Petals

Mokama Tatva in Yogakalandara

(Oldest Bengali text of Sufi Doctrine, according to Dr. Ahmed Shariff.) Dehatana Guard of the Manjil in the deha/body Mokum Position

Mokum /Feresta /Angel Latifu Aajraail Kasifu Israafil Fani (Fana?) Brahmbhataalu Bakau (Baka?) Jibraail Sariyat Tarikat Hakikat Mikaail Marifat Naasut Malkut Jabrut Laahut Dil/Laahut Muladhar Manipur

Body was getting importance this time and we can find this phenomenon in various Muslim as well as minor Hindu occult religious practices. They have inscribed the body-mind doctrine in their numerous literatures. Upward and downward flow of fluid changed beautifully in the metaphor of Radha and Krishna. Various river names, river banks, bathing ghats, lunar attraction, ebb and tide, river stream etc changed into the multi dimensional metaphors. Aabahaayater Nadi kena khane Sei je nadir pichala ghata Chand koltale khelre bhata Diin dunia joRa aktaa Miin aache taar majkhane. Where is that river

Whose bank is slippery? Moon, lunar attraction is there Like our earth one fish Lives there in between these